Kyle Orton restructures, opening door for Justin Durant in Dallas

Posted by Josh Alper on March 27, 2013, 1:04 PM EDT

AP

The Cowboys have taken linebacker Justin Durant out of a holding pattern.

The team announced Wednesday that they have restructured the contract of quarterback Kyle Orton, allowing them to officially sign Durant to a two-year deal. Durant is expected to compete for a starting job alongside Sean Lee and Bruce Carter in Dallas, a competition he’ll likely be favored to win over Kyle Wilber, Alex Albright and Ernie Sims.

There are no details about the restructuring done to Orton’s contract. He signed a three-year, $10.5 million deal with the team before the 2012 season and was set to make $1.35 million this year and $3.25 million next season. He likely converted a portion of his 2013 salary to a bonus, which spreads the cap hit out over the next two years and gives the team the space they needed to bring Durant into the fold.

Safety Will Allen is also waiting to officially sign a deal with the Cowboys, something that will require the team to free up more space. The same would be true if they are able to come to agreement with guard Brandon Moore, who visited the team recently.

Keep robbing Peter to pay Paul Jerry???? Pretty soon you are going to run into a year where you will have about 40 to 50 million in dead cap space. Could not happen to a more worthy team!!!!!

flavordave says:Mar 27, 2013 1:12 PM

the Cowboys need to sign as much help as possible. I feel bad that they have to go into this season facing chip kellys intricate explosive offensive monster machine tour 2013. An 11 headed offensive machine that’s programmed to chew up defenses and spit out bones. Poor guys. Must be humbling. and there’s simply nothing you can do about it

@Illogicalvoicesays your are too dumb to insult. Keep thinking your the best. You must not remember Rex Grossman days. Or Jason Campbell or even Donovan Mcnabb. Keep up the trash talk, season is 6 months away.

Hey Cowboy fans – @bucdale is right; eventually they aren’t going to be able to push anything back. I know they get their cap space back next year, but they will still be in deep trouble. Cowboy fans should be livid with Jerry Jones for how he has managed this team, but yet they continue to open their wallets to him. Hit him in the only place he respects, stop showing up, and make him get the message that Dallas deserves a real GM! Having a guy who can draft young cheap talent is important and Jerry can’t do that no matter how much he convinces himself that he can and has.

simmsmatic says:Mar 27, 2013 1:32 PM

I have to applaud Jerry Jones. Maybe he should be strapped for cash more often. Let’s look at this “quiet” off season…

Let go of Mike Jenkins, Felix Jones, Marcus Spears and Gerald Sensabaugh. All players who just didn’t live up to what they could have been.

Then he franchise tagged Anthony Spencer in order to keep him on the roster so that a long term deal could be worked out, while at the same time extending cap space once the deal is done.

Now for Tony Romo, extending Romo is a smart decision. Make fun of Romo all you want, but he puts up top 5 quarterback numbers every year. If he wasn’t running for his life 80% of the game, he wouldn’t make those bone headed decisions he makes late in the game.

Then he signs Justin Durant, a 27 year old linebacker who fills the missing linebacker piece in Kiffin’s defense. Durant is young and talented.

And people don’t realize what Will Allen brings to the table. He can play both Safety and CB. He may not be the top flight DB, but he’s a solid veteran who can fill up multiple positions if asked.

The Cowboys are already full of talent. People keep saying how they haven’t signed any one big in the free agency. Well, they don’t need to.

What receiver in the FA is better than Dez Bryant? Mike Wallace? That’s a joke.

What QB in the FA is better than Romo? Obviously none.

Who in the FA provides such an elite skill set that can’t be found in the draft for the future? Dashon Goldson? No. He’s a good safety but he benefited largely from the players around him.

ccjcsr says:Mar 27, 2013 1:42 PM

I like the throw everything up on the board and see what sticks mentality as long as you aren’t paying an arm and a leg for it. Creates competition @ LB for sure, Albright, Wilber, Sims, Carter, Lee, Durant…

paulsmith107 says:Mar 27, 2013 1:51 PM

I love how every person knows the money flow of the cowboys and what they are doing. Lets see Jerry jones wealthy business and sports team owner you think he doesn’t know how to balance a check book like the rest of you scrubs you have no clue every year you all say the same things cause Dallas does the same thing and we haven’t been cap decimated in a long time . I’m happy to see you part time Walmart greeters are wanna be full time capologists

Orton is the best backup in the league. The most talented? Maybe not, but certainly the most solid “team” player; and you while you might not be amazed at what he’ll do if he has to go in, you won’t be worried about what will happen, either.

Justin Durant and Ernie Sims. Two ex-Lions that the team let go. The Lions have to be getting better.

mogogo1 says:Mar 27, 2013 2:45 PM

Wow, I’d almost forgotten Orton was still around. Kind of amazing nobody has offered a trade for him. He’d be an upgrade for several teams.

He’s still got to be kicking himself for leaving KC. He’d have been their starter for most of last year and if he’d played decently he might be their starter for this coming year. Instead, he’s stuck behind Romo with a line that will get him killed with his lack of agility even if he ever would get to play.

Big time moves in Dallas. They are solidifying that 3rd place finish in OUR division. #NFCEastbelongstotheRedskins
___________________

Redskins? The American Indian Counsel has requested that the NFL disassociate itself with Native American names. The Washington Redskins will therefore be changing their name to the Washington Foreskins in honor of all the pr!cks in Washington DC, effective immediately.

wipemysweatjackoff says:Mar 27, 2013 2:48 PM

Nicely stated Simmsmatic:

Most of the Cowboy bashing is just unknowledgable Dallas hatings croods.

Actually – this is exactly how I want the Cowboys to look at free agency – why go spend money on aged veterans who aren’t wanted by their own teams anymore. The Boys don’t need to over spend on players who aren’t going to help them – draft well and they will be successful.

For all the fans that say the Boys are finishing 3rd or 4th – they have eliminated the dead weight on the roster except for Doug Free and he is just poised for June 1 cut. and have created a younger faster smarter team – hence the comebacks in the 4th quarter and playing through adversity. Need to learn to finish and they will easily win the NFC East next season.

Simmsmatic…thank you for a post that makes perfectly good sense. I’m not saying we will win the division yet, but these signings aren’t bad and some of the smarter ones Jerry has done. And you’re right about Romo. You love him or hate him, but he puts up huge numbers despite the mistakes and terrible line. If we had a healthy RB it would also take pressure off him and the offense for a more balanced attack.

cowboyfan4lyfe says:Mar 28, 2013 3:53 PM

Last year the Redskins win their first division in 13 years and logicalvoicesays pops off like they are the dominating force of the division.